Roses and Hydrangeas
by Hymntanra
Summary: He tried to give her everything, and the only thing she would ever accept was the blossoming ruby red roses. PhantomxAria, requested by Ikurasnow on Tumblr.


**The story you are about to read is NOT yours to take, rewrite, and claim as your own idea. After four instances of plagiarism related to my fanfiction, I am now obligated to place this on every one of my written works. I have given readers fair warning over and over again but it seems that unless I put it straight in your faces, you will not listen. If you ask my permission, fine! But if not...**

**MY STORY IDEA IS NOT YOURS. DO NOT TAKE IT AND REWRITE IT.**

**Enjoy the story, please.**

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Roses and Hydrangeas

He gave her gold.

He gave her silver.

He gave her diamonds, rubies, emeralds, rare gems from all over the world…

And Aria always shook her head with a sad smile and pushed Phantom's hand away. He could only stared incredulously at the woman; he was offering her valuables that weren't even accessible by the royalty, and she was just pushing his hand away? She didn't want to accept his gift? Phantom had charmed countless women in his lifetime, and none of them had pushed away his extravagant gifts. In fact, they usually giggled and slipped the jewelry onto their slim necks and slim fingers. NO woman had rejected his wealthy gifts.

No woman except Aria.

Phantom would bring her everything he could from his less-than-legal exploits. He had acquired all sorts of impressive jewelry over time, jewelry that he was more than willing to splurge on his lovely lady friend—his Empress. But without fail, she always would push the gifts away. Thinking back carefully, Phantom realized that Empress Aria ALWAYS rejected the gifts he presented to her. Not even the smallest, most benign golden ring had found its way onto her regal fingers.

It was embarrassing.

Phantom was a pro at charming women—how could he not be, with his player looks?—and this had never happened before. It was hard to take. The only gift she would take from him was the ruby red roses that were spawned from his shimmering card deck. Aria would take the rose, put it to her lips, close her eyes, and stand against the moon. The Empress looked like an ethereal angel when she stood like that—something so simple, so tiny, that pleased her endlessly.

_Life. _

The life of the rose.

She smiled softly, sweetly. "Thank you, Phantom."'

"Do you really like roses so much, Empress?" Phantom asked blunted. The woman gave him a curious look, unsure what to make of his statement. "It's just…they're the only gifts you'll accept from me. I've tried to give you all sorts of things. Gold, rings, necklaces, rubies…everything. But you'll only take the roses. Do you really like roses that much?"

"…No, not really. I prefer hydrangea flowers, actually." Aria said softly, staring out across the veranda into the deep blue night sky. It was speckled with beautiful, distracting stars—and yet Phantom really just couldn't take his eyes off of the Empress. She was so soft, so sweet, but commanding and powerful at the same time. She did not take any flack from any person and was willing to be so blatantly honest with him—a rarity, really. Most people were trying to TRICK the thief.

"I'll bring you hydrangea next time, then." Phantom said. Aria smiled and laughed slightly.

"No. I'd rather you bring me the roses."

"Why? I thought you said you liked hydrangeas." Phantom inquired.

"People bring me hydrangeas all the time, because they know they're my favorite flowers." Aria replied. "I get hydrangeas from everyone, just like I get gold and jewels from everyone. They're just the default mindless worship gifts I receive from the people I barely know, the suitors who come in an effort to become one with the crown."

Phantom felt a pang of dislike; oh yes, he knew about the suitors. They visited far too often for his liking. The Empress, being a single ruler, was a viable and fresh maiden that men across the world watched carefully; they wanted the position of 'Emperor' and saw the blonde girl as nothing more than a prize. Phantom knew he couldn't allow them to do such a thing—thinking that Aria was just a hang on. He wished, really, that he could just take her away from her position as Empress and rid her of that burden. But he also knew that Aria enjoyed her job, and she enjoyed the love she spawned in her people. The suitors were just something both of them had to tolerate.

"Yes…they bring me hydrangeas, because the Empire lets them know that those are my favorite flowers. They seem to see it as some special sort of way to win me over—like knowing my favorite flower will give them some sort of in with me." Aria laughed quietly. "They think I am really that dull minded…but I know is that they're trying to impress me. I can see right through their gifts of gold, silver, diamonds, hydrangeas…none of their gifts come from the heart. None of it comes from _them._"

"So you don't want hydrangeas as a gift?"

"No." She said, looking him straight in the eyes. "I want these roses from you. Because when you give me roses, I know you're giving them with the strongest and most honest position. You give roses to me from the bottom of your heart; when you give me a rose, you give me part of yourself along with it. And that really does mean more than any silly little fake gift could ever mean. More than diamonds and gold and silly little hydrangeas that the Empire told them that I'd like."

"Aria, I…" Phantom was at a loss for words. The blonde Empress had once again thrown him off guard; her sweet temperament mixed with her relentless logic and calm intelligence was overwhelming. It was so strong that it literally felt like someone was grasping at his heart and squeezing it as hard as possible. The feeling was stifling, powerful, but also wrapped around him and hugged him warmly.

"You don't need to say anything, Phantom." Aria smiled mysteriously, waving the rose in front of her pale pink lips. "I'll always have this rose, this part of you."

_Always. _


End file.
